Dumb? DCC question

[jawnt]

I've been away from the hobby for about 20yrs ---- DCC has come along and looks promising ---- the question:
When you power off your system ( ie unplug it ), do you have to re-program everything when you power back up?
Maybe I worked in computers for too may years[8)] and am a bit punchy, but when I walk out of my shop, cut the lights off, EVERYTHING (wall plugs, power tools, etc.) is cut off ---- I intend the same for my layout room --- that way a soldering iron is not actdently left on.

Thanks for any info ----

John T.

[cacole]

No, the decoders inside each locomotive retain their programming data, and most DCC systems have a battery backup within the command station to retain the locomotive data stored within its memory.

You should log on to Tony's Train Exchange and read his "DCC For Beginners" information if you haven't already done so.

http://www.tonystrains.com

[jawnt]

Thanks Cacole!

I've been poking around Tony's Train Exchange, but I just missed this bit of info.
As one who made his living for 40 years fixin' computers, I never liked programing and if I were to have to re-program everything every time I turned out the lights ---- well fergitit --------------[xx(][xx(][xx(]

Again THANKS!

John T.

[rrinker]

Nope, decoder programming puts the information into non-volatile memory, so it is not lost when the power is shut off. Same with things that get programmed into the command station, like routes or macros. They all stay until you specifically erase or overwrite them, although the comand station memory is often maintained by a battery like runs the clock and BIOS settings in a computer - these CAN go dead after a number of years and cause command station memoryt o be lost - but never loco decoder settings.
I don;t think I've seen this addressed in any beginner DCC information either. Would be a real pain to work with if all the locos lost their addresses when the power went off.

--Randy

[jawnt]

Thanks Randy!

I figured that surely they had "keep alive" batteries or some such, but with my background and dislike of programming, I wasn't going to get serious until the question was answered.

Am a firm believer in the old 'kiss' principle ----(Keep It Simple Stoopid)[:p]

Again, THANKS!

John T.

[rrinker]

Bet the information that decoder settings are not lost when the trains are turned off (or removed from the track) gets added to those beginner's guides now... That's the trouble with writing a beginner's guide, it's one of those things you kind of take for granted.

--Randy